1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of ice makers and, more particularly, to an air delivery assembly for an ice maker.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
It is now common practice in the art of refrigerators to provide an automatic ice maker within a freezer compartment of a refrigerator and further to provide a system for dispensing the ice into a recessed receiving area formed in a front panel of the refrigerator. In essence, these systems provide for the automatic filling of ice cube trays which are emptied into a bin following a freezing period. From the bin, the ice can be delivered to the receiving area by the selective activation of a drive unit, such as a rotatable auger located within the bin. Most often, such ice dispensing systems incorporate a mechanism whereby the ice can be selectively crushed prior to reaching the receiving area.
If a large quantity of ice is needed in a short period of time, it is possible for the ice stored within the bin to be depleted. Therefore, a user is required to wait for the ice maker to form more ice. The rate at which the ice is formed is dependent upon the temperature of the liquid supplied to the ice trays and the temperature of the air surrounding the ice trays.
Some attempts have been made to increase the rate of ice production. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,351,955 discloses a method for improving the rate of ice production by providing a fan selectively operable to direct cooled air across the ice making surfaces of the ice maker during the ice formation process. A potential drawback with the use of a fan to aid in ice formation is the increased costs associated with including and operating an additional component in the freezer.
Another example of a prior attempt to increase the rate of ice production is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,099. In the ""099 patent, an air flow deflection baffle is positioned within an ice making assembly to direct air, which would normally pass out of the ice forming chamber, over the water in the ice forming chamber. However, this arrangement only applies to ice makers having an ice forming chamber, rather than ice makers having a fill tube and an ice tray that are exposed within the freezer compartment.
Based on the above, there is a need in the art for an ice maker assembly that leads to an increase in the rate of ice formation in an ice tray, without adding substantial costs to the production of the overall assembly and without adding additional motorized parts.
The present invention is directed to an air delivery assembly for an ice maker located in a freezer having an outer wall spaced apart from an inner wall. The air delivery assembly includes an air tunnel, an air deflector, and a restrictor plate. The air tunnel has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is positioned adjacent to an ice mold cavity and the second end is positioned adjacent to the inner wall of the freezer. The air deflector is located adjacent to the second end of the air tunnel, substantially perpendicular to the inner wall of the freezer. By positioning the air deflector between the inner and outer walls of the freezer, the air deflector redirects air between the walls, through the air tunnel, and onto the ice mold. Further, the restrictor plate is attached to the air tunnel for restricting air flow above the air tunnel at a rate equal to the increase of air flow through the air tunnel based on the presence of the air deflector. Preferably, the air delivery system readily snap-locks to the inner wall of the freezer, which is preferably an evaporator coil cover.
Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views.